GOP presidential candidate and former Senator Rick Santorum has insinuated that he would support a federal constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage if he were elected president. Santorum has argued that gay or lesbian relationships would upset the balance of the culture, and take away from children “the potential of having a mom and a dad.” He also believes that gay marriage undermines religious liberties.
In an interview on CNN, Santorum said the following. “Once people realize the consequence to society of changing this definition, it’s not that we’re against anybody. People can live the life they want to live. They can do whatever they want to do in the privacy of their home with respect to that activity. Now you’re talking about changing the laws of the country. and it could have a profound impact on society, on faith, on education. Once people realize that, they say, you know what, we respect people’s life to live the life they want to lead but don’t change how with that definition. ”
Previously, Santorum has made statements like “In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing.”
Santorum also tried, in 2001, to change language in the No Child Left Behind bill that sought to promote the teaching of intelligent design while questioning the academic standing of evolution in public schools.